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Supporting Mental Health and Well-being

January 28, 2014

On a day when Canadians are talking candidly about mental health, Sheridan is pleased to announce its first-ever SHERIDANtalk day (sponsored by the Sheridan Student Union) and to remind people about a number of ongoing initiatives aimed at supporting mental health and emotional well-being.

SHERIDANtalk will take place on March 12 from 6:00-9:30PM in the Marquee at Sheridan’s Oakville campus. The event builds on the Canada-wide “Unleash the Noise” Mental Health Innovation Summit. Structured in the format of TEDtalks, the event will bring innovators in the field of mental health to share their ideas and experiences.

Confirmed speakers include: Eric Windeler and Erin Hodgins from the Jack Project; Mark Henick, the youngest President of a provincial Canadian Mental Health Association division in history and speaker at TEDx Toronto 2013; and Arthur Gallant, one of the ‘Faces of Mental Illness’ from the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness & Mental Health, a campaign sponsored by Bell as part of the Bell Let’s Talk initiative.

A number of Sheridan students and alumni have bravely agreed to share their stories at the event. Break-out discussion groups will enable participants to raise concerns about possible barriers to mental health at Sheridan and to brainstorm ideas to help overcome them. The event will also include a Q&A session with the panel speakers.

Sheridan also has a number of ongoing initiatives aimed at de-stigmatizing mental health diagnoses and helping students to tackle academic, personal or emotional issues that can impede their success. These include student advisement, individual counselling, group counselling, and accessible learning services. A full list of services can be accessed at: http://www.sheridancollege.ca/life-at-sheridan/student-services.aspx

Sheridan is one of Canada’s leading postsecondary institutions, offering over 100 diploma, certificate, and bachelor degree programs in an environment that fosters innovation and creativity. Its 127,000 alumni help shape the future course of our society in the fields of arts, business, community service, health, and technology. Its aim is to become Ontario’s first university exclusively dedicated to undergraduate professional education and applied learning – one that will enable students to transition in and out of formal education to suit their changing needs throughout their careers. Its Creative Campus philosophy strives to give students a first-in-Canada approach to the creative problem-solving skills that will underpin their future success.